Leticia R. Martinez, Ph.D.

Director, Language for Learning Institute

Research Interests and Expertise

Effective instructional practices for adolescent English learners and adolescent literacy interventions

Research Projects and Grants

Investigator, Preventing Dropout Among At-Risk Youth: A Study of Project Goal With English Learners, 2015–2019
Investigator, Scale Up of Promoting Adolescents' Comprehension of Text, 2016–2021
Project Director, Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform, 2013–2018
Project Director, Reading for Understanding: Understanding Malleable Cognitive Processes and Integrated Comprehension Interventions for Grades 7–12, 2010–2016
Project Director, Center for Research on the Educational Achievement of English Language Learners (CREATE), 2005–2010

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Williams, K., & Martinez, L. (in press). Designing and implementing intensive reading interventions for adolescent English learners. Intervention in School and Clinic.

Vaughn, S., Martinez, L. R., Williams, K. J., Miciak, J., Fall, A.-M., & Roberts, G. (2018). Efficacy of a high school extensive reading intervention for English learners with reading difficulties. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(1), 22–34. doi:10.1037/edu0000069

Kent, S., Wanzek, J., & Martinez, L. R. (2017). The application of empirically supported practices in middle school social studies classrooms. Remedial and Special Education. Advance online publication. doi:10.1177/0741932517744662

Vaughn, S., Fall, A.-M., Roberts, G., Wanzek, J., Swanson, E., & Martinez, L. R. (2018). The effects of the class percentage of middle school students with reading comprehension difficulties and student content knowledge acquisition and comprehension. Journal of Learning Disabilities. Advance online publication. doi:10.1177/0022219418775117

Wanzek, J., Martinez, L. R., Fall, A.-M., Roberts, G., Stillman-Spisak, S., & Kent, S. (2018). Text reading in social studies content instruction and its relationship to student knowledge acquisition. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 34(4), 349–360. doi:10.1080/10573569.2018.1446858

Vaughn, S., Martinez, L. R., Wanzek, J., Roberts, G., Swanson, E., & Fall, A.-M. (2017). Improving content knowledge and comprehension for English language learners: Findings from a randomized control trial. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(1), 22–34. doi:10.1037/edu0000069

Barth, A. E., Vaughn, S., Capin, P., Cho, E., Stillman-Spisak, S. J., Martinez, L. R., & Kincaid, H. (2016). The effects of a text-processing reading comprehension intervention on struggling middle school readers. Topics in Language Disorders, 36(4), 368–389. doi:10.1097/TLD.0000000000000101

Vaughn, S., Martinez, L., Linan-Thompson, S., Reutebuch, C., Carlson, C., & Francis, D. (2009). Enhancing social studies vocabulary and comprehension for seventh-grade English language learners: Findings from two experimental studies. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2, 297–324.